Foldable case having back light

ABSTRACT

A foldable case having a back light is disclosed that a specific printed or injection-molded mark and a logo are emitted on a foldable case with which a liquid crystal display unit is integrally formed. The ON/OFF state of a power source of a liquid crystal display unit can be easily recognized even in a state that a foldable case is closed, and a specific mark or logo printed or injection-molded on an outer surface of the foldable case integrally formed with the liquid crystal display has a back light, so that divers desires of users can be satisfied as well as providing an elegant appearance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foldable case, and more particularlyto a foldable case having a back light that a specific printed orinjection-molded mark and a logo are emitted on a foldable case withwhich a liquid crystal display unit is integrally formed.

2. Description of the Background Art

Recently, various electronics products having a liquid crystal displayunit are being compact to be portable. For example, a cellular phone ora lap-top computer is manufactured to come out in a market in a mannerthat a liquid crystal display unit, such as an LCD, is integrally formedat a foldable case which is rotatably opened and closed with a mainbody, facilitating using and carrying.

As a foldable electronic product having a liquid crystal display unit,the lap-top computer is taken for an embodiment of the present inventionand will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a construction of a general lap-top computer in accordancewith a conventional art.

As shown in the drawing, the general lap-top computer includes afoldable case 10 with which a liquid crystal display unit 30 implementedas an LCD is integrally formed, and a main body part 50 hinged with thefoldable case 10. The main body part 50 includes a power source button40 and a key board 60 formed at one side thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the LCD implementing the liquid crystal display unit30 includes a light emitting part 21 forming a predetermined empty spacein contact with a front inner surface of the case 20, from viewing thatthe outer side of the foldable case 10 is regarded as a back sidesurface, forming an empty space; a liquid crystal element 22 formed onthe light emitting part 21 for selectively blocking the light emittedfrom the light emitting part by an applied electric signal to display atext or an image; and a transparent protective plate 23 formed incontact with the whole side surface of the liquid crystal element 22,for protecting the liquid crystal element 22.

The front inner surface of the case 20 contacting the light emittingpart 21 which forms an empty space serves as a reflector so that thelight generated from a light source of the light emitting part 21 iscollectively projected on a display surface of the liquid crystaldisplay unit 30 after passing the liquid crystal element 22 and thetransparent protective plate 23.

The power source button 40 formed at the main body part 50 is functionedas a main power source of the lap-top computer, to simultaneously turnon or turn off the power source of the system and the display unit 30.In case where a user intends to finish using of the lap-top computer,typically, he or she switches off the power source button 40 androtatably combines the foldable case 10 to the main body part 50 forkeeping or carrying.

However, as for the conventional .lap-top computer, in case where theuser inadvertently rotates the foldable case to the main body part in astate that the power source button is not switched to the OFF terminal,a problem arises that the user could not recognize whether the powersource of the liquid crystal display unit has been turned on or turnedoff.

Failure to recognize the ON/OFF state of the liquid crystal display unitconsuming much power is a big problem in view of characteristics of thelap-top computer carried with battery mounted.

Meanwhile, a recent tendency shows that a mark or a logo is attached onthe outer surface of the foldable case for a product promotion or abrand image creation. In this respect, however, an attachment of asimple mark or a log does not satisfy the diverse desires of users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a foldablecase having a back light by which the ON/OFF state of a power source ofa liquid crystal display unit can be easily recognized even in a statethat a foldable case is closed, and a specific mark or logo printed orinjection-molded on an outer surface of the foldable case integrallyformed with the liquid crystal display has a back light, so that diversdesires of users can be satisfied as well as providing an elegantappearance.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein,there is provided a foldable case having a back light including: a lightemitting part formed having an empty space in contact with a front innersurface of the case and a rear side surface of a liquid crystal element,for evenly distributing light, a liquid crystal element installed at thefront surface of the light emitting part, and selectively blocking thelight emitted from the light emitting part to display a text or animage; a transparent protective plate formed in contact with the frontsurface of the liquid crystal element to protect the liquid crystalelement; and a case for supportedly combining the light emitting part,the liquid crystal element and the transparent protective plate,reflecting the light of the light emitting part so as to be injectedonto the whole surface of the liquid crystal element, and having a lighttransmittance hole on the section of its body so as to have a back lighton a specific mark or logo of the rear surface thereof.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view of a general lap-top computer having aliquid crystal display in accordance with a conventional art;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a foldable case of the generallap-top computer in accordance with the conventional art;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a foldable case of a lap-topcomputer adopting the foldable case having a back light in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view of a mark or a logo applied on an outersurface of the foldable case having a back light in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lap-top computer adopting the foldablecase having a back light in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a foldable case of a lap-topcomputer adopting the foldable case having a back light in accordancewith the present invention.

The same elements as in the conventional art are given the samereference numerals.

With reference to FIG. 3, the foldable case having a back light of thepresent invention is constructed as follows.

First, the liquid crystal display unit 30 includes a light emitting part21 forming a predetermined empty space in contact with the front innerside surface of a case 200 and a rear side surface of a liquid crystalelement 22; a liquid crystal element 22 formed at the front surface ofthe light emitting part 21, for selectively blocking the light emittedfrom the light emitting part 21 by an applied electric signal; and atransparent protective plate 23 formed in contact with the front surfaceof the liquid crystal element, for protecting the liquid crystal element22.

The foldable case having a back light of the present invention includesthe case 200 provided to supportedly combine the liquid crystal displayunit 30 and elements of the liquid crystal display unit 30.

A plurality of light transmittance holes 700 are formed at the sectionof the case 200, so that light emitted from the light emitting part 21is projected on the front surface, and at the same time, a part of thelight passes the light transmittance holes 700 to be projected. Thus, aspecific mark or logo attached on the outer surface of the case 200 orintegrally injection-molded on the case has a back light.

The light transmittance holes 700 may remain empty or be filled with atransparent and a translucent material according to an embodiment.

Referring to the specific mark or logo 800 formed on the outer surfaceof the case 200, a printed light transmittance sheet is attached on theouter surface of the case 200 according to a silk printing method, oneof a printing technique, or a light transmittance sheet with a printed aspecific mark or logo 800 is inserted when the case 200 isinjection-molded. That is, a specific mark or logo 800 is formed byin-mold method, integrating with the case.

The printed sheet is designed in a manner that its color and quality aredifferently combined to distinctively express what the design intends toindicate when light is transmitted.

The operation of the foldable case having a back light of the lap-topcomputer in accordance with the present invention will now be described.

First, when the power source button 40 installed at the main body part50 of the lap-top computer is switched ‘ON’ and power is supplied to thesystem and the liquid crystal display unit 30 of the lap-top computer,the power is applied to the light emitting part 21 of the liquid crystaldisplay unit 30, emitting a light of a predetermined brightness.

The emitted light passes the liquid crystal element 22 and thetransparent protective plate 23 and is injected to whole surface of theliquid crystal display unit 30. At this time, a part of the emittedlight passes the plurality of light transmittance holes 700 formed onthe section of the case 200 and is projected so as for the specific markand logo attached on the outer surface of the case 200 to have a backlight.

Accordingly, if the foldable case 100 is closed in a state than thepower source button 40 is not switched to OFF. due to the user'sinadvertence, the user can easily recognize the ON/OFF state of thepower source of the liquid crystal display unit through the back lightfrom the specific mark and logo printed or injection-molded on the case200.

As so far described, the foldable case having a back light of thepresent invention has the following effects:

First, when the foldable case is closed, the ON/OFF state of the displayunit can be easily recognized by the user through the specific mark orlogo with back light formed at the outer surface of the foldable case,so that unnecessary power consumption due to the user's inadvertence isprevented in the liquid crystal display unit which is to consume muchpower in view of the characteristics of the lap-top computer.

Secondly, as the specific mark or logo with back light formed on theouter surface of the foldable case emits during use of the lap-topcomputer, the outer appearance of the product looks elegant, satisfyingthe desires of many consumers.

Lastly, a lap-top computer adopting the foldable case of the presentinvention would improve the publicity of the product itself and helpheighten the image of the brand.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable case having a front inner surface anda rear outer surface, the foldable case comprising: a light emittingunit provided in the foldable case; a liquid crystal element provided infront of the light emitting unit, for displaying text or an image by thelight emitted from the light emitting unit; and rear illumination meansfor illuminating the rear outer surface of the case by light emittedfrom the light emitting unit.
 2. The foldable case according to claim 1,wherein the rear illumination means comprises a panel having a specificmarking or light transmittance holes formed as a logo.
 3. The foldablecase according to claim 2, wherein the specific marking is printed on alight transmittance sheet.
 4. The foldable case according to claim 3,wherein the light transmittance sheet is integrally formed with thecase.
 5. The foldable case according to claim 2, wherein the lighttransmittance holes are empty.
 6. The foldable case according to claim2, wherein the light transmittance holes are filled with a transparentmaterial.
 7. The foldable case according to claim 2, wherein the lighttransmittance holes are filled with a translucent material.
 8. In adisplay device having a case having a front inner surface and a rearouter surface, a light emitting unit provided in the case and a liquidcrystal element provided in front of the light emitting unit, fordisplaying text or an image by the light emitted from the light emittingunit, the improvement comprising: rear illumination means forilluminating the rear outer surface of the case by light emitted fromthe light emitting unit.
 9. The display device according to claim 8,wherein the rear illumination means comprise light transmittance holesformed in a section of a body of the case between the front innersurface of the case and the rear outer surface thereof.
 10. The displaydevice according to claim 8, wherein the rear illumination meanscomprises a panel having a specific marking or light transmittance holesformed as a logo.
 11. The display device according to claim 10, whereinthe specific marking is printed on a light transmittance sheet.
 12. Thedisplay device according to claim 11, wherein the transmittance sheet isintegrally formed with the case.
 13. The display device according toclaim 10, wherein the light transmittance holes are empty.
 14. Thedisplay device according to claim 10, wherein the light transmittanceholes are filled with a transparent material.
 15. The display deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein the light transmittance holes are filledwith a translucent material.
 16. The display device according to claim8, wherein the case is a folding case of a portable computer ortelephone.
 17. The display device according to claim 8, wherein thefront inner surface of the case serves as a reflector.